Good morning…
On this hazy Saturday morning, my husband and I debriefed from yesterday over coffee. Much like we did during our long season of parenting four active kids born six years apart, we needed to divide and conquer to cover our important Friday commitments. Steve went to the memorial service of Sarah French while I went to a 60th birthday celebration for my dear soul friend, Laura Deisley.
Seventeen of us gathered to celebrate Laura by savoring a fabulous concert with 73-year-old Billy Joel, 73-year-old Lionel Richie, and 60-year-old Sheryl Crow. Each of us wore oversized stickers of Laura and fun funky glasses of various colors, each edged with bling, bling, bling.
Many people have said to me since the sad passing of Sarah at age fifty, “I can’t imagine how our family would live on if either of us parents died.” Well, Laura herself has walked this difficult road of grief. I totally admire the way she and her now-married kids have continued to grieve, bond, and thrive.
Laura was 52-years-old when her husband Chris passed away from an aggressive brain tumor in 2015. Living for only two years after his diagnosis in February of 2013, Chris’ passing left two young adult children without a father on earth, much like Sarah’s passing has left two young adult kids without a mother’s nurturing presence on earth.
“I can’t image how our family would live on if either of us parents died,” is a sentiment so many of us ordinary people share. Watching Laura and her young adult kids grieve and bond and thrive gives me hope that Sarah’s family will somehow do the same with the healing help of God.
Again, God’s Message: “I’ll turn things around… I’ll compassionately come in and rebuild homes. The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations; the mansions will be splendid again. Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows; laughter will spill through the doors. Things will get better and better” (Jeremiah 30:18-19a, MSG). This is the regenerative promise of God for both the French family and the Deisley family as well as each one of our families who will someday, if we haven’t already, walked through the valley of deep grief with God.
…Sue…
P.S. I was grateful to be wearing my wild, weird glasses to keep private the tears I cried when Lionel Richie sang so beautifully the touching song below, a song he wrote and performed with Michael Jackson and their talented soul friends.
